The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera villosa, and is hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Caramel’.
The inventor discovered the new cultivar, ‘Caramel’ as a chance seedling in a cultivated nursery bed in Hantay, France, CT in 2003. Although the parentage is unknown, the characteristics of the new cultivar and the proximity of plants of Heuchera villosa ‘Autumn Pride’ (not patented) suggests that ‘Autumn Pride’ is a probable parent.
The new cultivar was selected for its unique foliage that emerges grey-red in color and matures to a golden yellow-green color. The foliage color of ‘Autumn Pride’ is green. ‘Caramel’ is most similar in foliage coloration to Heuchera ‘Amber Waves’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,348), a Heuchera of hybrid origin. ‘Caramel’ differs in having foliage that is less ruffled, more cordate in shape, and more sunfast.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished under direction by the inventor by in vitro propagation in The Netherlands in the fall of 2003. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by division and tissue culture has shown that the unique features of ‘Caramel’ are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.